Tips and Tricks

In addition to the features mentioned in the other articles here, there are a few features PadKeys provides that might not be discovered easily when using PadKeys.

Swipe

Instead of typing normally, you can also trace ("swipe") words with your finger. Just touch the first letter of the word and then drag successively through each letter until the end, then lift. The word PadKeys thinks you swiped will be inserted; if it's wrong, just select one of the other suggestions, or tap backspace if none of them are right. If PadKeys is having trouble recognizing the word, try sliding your finger more slowly over letters in the word than over the intervening letters.

Short Mode

If you would like a shorter keyboard when in landscape mode so you can see more of the screen, long-press the keyboard-away button to toggle the keyboard height. This setting is remembered between sessions, but does not apply in portrait mode or on the full-size iPad Pro. (The keyboard is already in "short" mode on that platform.)

Language Quick Switch

If you often use two different languages, you can switch between them quickly in PadKeys. Just hold down the Globe key and drag your finger up to the first button, which will have the initial letters of the two most recent language settings with an arrow between them. Releasing your finger will change to the most-recently used other language setting. You can repeat this process to toggle back and forth.

Emoji

We focus on practical typing in PadKeys and leave emoji to other keyboards that specialize in it. To make things convenient, disable all keyboards in Settings besides PadKeys and your preferred emoji keyboard. (The system keyboard will still come up for passwords regardless.) Then you may switch from regular typing to emoji and vice versa simply by tapping the Globe key once.

Tutorial Videos

We have a full set of tutorial videos showing how to use the various features of PadKeys. Please take a look!